Josh Quigley is raising awareness of mental health issues by travelling around the world in 2016 visiting charities and other countries dressed in a saltire morphsuit and a kilt. He is calling himself the Tartan Explorer. Picture by Alex Hewitt

Published:09:00Tuesday 22 March 2016

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A Scotsman is embarking on a special cycling challenge across the country to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.

Josh Quigley, who is calling himself the Tartan Explorer, will start a cycling tour of 29 cities and towns on March 25.

Quigley, from Livingston, feels passionately about the cause having survived his own suicide attempt in May 2015.

Spurred on by the ‘second chance’ he has been given, he has decided to dedicate himself to helping others who suffer from mental health issues.

Mental health is a major health challenge in Scotland: one in three people are affected each year, with two people taking their own life every day across the country.

The Scottish arm of Quigley’s cycle tour is a warm up to his World Cycle Challenge, which starts in May 2016 and will see Quigley bike through six continents of the world, taking in over 80 countries.

Talking about his cycle challenge, Quigley said: “I decided to embark on this bike tour as I really want to inspire those who suffer with mental health issues and show that it is possible to bounce back and achieve something amazing.

“I want to take my message all over Scotland, and then the world, to get nations speaking about mental health, uniting together to help save lives.”

Quigley’s Scottish Tour starts in his hometown of Livingston and will see him on the road for 33 days, hosting 10 mental health awareness events across Scotland and sharing his story, prior to finishing the tour at Edinburgh Castle on April 26, where there will be a homecoming celebration with friends, family and supporters on the castle’s famous esplanade.

Since launching the movement in November 2015, Josh has made incredible progress; His video promoting the movement has been viewed almost 100,000 times. Through this and the positive media coverage he has received to date, Josh has had thousands of messages worldwide thanking him for his help and inspiration in their own mental health battles.